Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Accommodation vendors urged to halt demanding deposit from NSFAS funded university students
Blog Article
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has urged landlords not to demand a deposit or top-up payment from NSFAS-funded students.
This comes right after NSFAS obtained experiences about some accommodation vendors who demand NSFAS-funded students to pay a deposit or top-up payment as a way to get entry to the authorized private accommodation.
Friday, February 7, 2025
"NSFAS reminds accommodation providers of your obligatory conditions, as supplied by the Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Arrangement concerning the private accommodation vendors and NSFAS funded students," NSFAS stated in an announcement on Thursday.
The Standardised Fixed-Term Lease Agreement states that the lease will likely be paid out month to month to the accommodation company (lessor) by NSFAS, on behalf of the lessee (NSFAS funded student), in accordance with the NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal.
"The lessor may not require or permit the lessee to pay for a deposit, top-up payments, or every other kinds of payment into the lessor, or every other person in reference to this arrangement, which includes payment of lease, whilst awaiting payment from NSFAS. The lessor shall haven't any recourse towards here the lessee for any default during the payment of rent by NSFAS," the arrangement reads.
The NSFAS terms and conditions for private accommodation companies’ participation on the student accommodation portal also website states that: "Where the NSFAS-funded student is defunded resulting from an incorrect selection by NSFAS, the scholar won't be answerable for payment of any arrear rent to the accommodation provider, up right up until the day of being defunded."
NSFAS explained that where the NSFAS-funded student chooses to continue occupying the leased premises, notwithstanding remaining defunded by NSFAS, the scholar are going to be responsible for payment of lease to your lessor from the day of being defunded.
"Where website the student is defunded by NSFAS due to a misrepresentation by the lessee/guardian at any stage, the student must immediately vacate the leased property; and will be liable read more for payment of all rent due to the accommodation provider.
"Where the student moves, accommodation providers without the prior approval of NSFAS, NSFAS may elect not to pay any rental to the new accommodation provider, and any such rental payments will be for the student own account," the scheme here said.
The scheme emphasised that any dispute arising between the parties regarding the interpretation or implementation of the agreement, must be dealt with in accordance with any dispute resolution procedure determined by NSFAS for this purpose.
From: SAnews.gov.za